Wolves Roundup: Jan. 8-14, 2018

Welcome to Wolves Roundup, a weekly report of highlights, notes and transactions from the Chicago Wolves’ previous week of competition during the 2017-18 season.

WOLVES ON NHL NETWORK

The Chicago Wolves will finish this week’s three-game schedule with a Central Division showdown against the Cleveland Monsters on Sunday, Jan. 21. The game will broadcast 3 p.m. CT on NHL Network as part of the American Hockey League’s 10-game slate on the network.

The contest is the second in a set of Chicago games selected as part of the NHL Network package. Previously, the Wolves’ Dec. 17 game against the Milwaukee Admirals aired on NHLN. Chicago netted three consecutive goals for a 4-2 win against the long-time rival Admirals on national television.

The broadcast will again be conducted by executive producer Ron Storto and voiced by play-by-play announcer Jason Shaver and color analyst Bill Gardner.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

On Saturday, Jan. 20, the Chicago Wolves will wrap their season series with the Bakersfield Condors. The 7 p.m. game at Allstate Arena will mark Bakers eld’s first visit to Rosemont since it joined the AHL in 2015.

The Wolves and Condors met on Friday and Chicago edged Bakersfield 4-3 for the lone win of its West Coast road trip. Saturday’s game serves as the Wolves’ final game against California teams this season.

BARBASHEV, DUNN RETURN TO NHL

On Monday, the St. Louis Blues recalled center Ivan Barbashev and defenseman Vince Dunn from loan to the Chicago Wolves. The pair were loaned to the Wolves on Jan. 10.

The Blues draft picks met the Wolves in California and skated in two of three games of the team’s West Coast trek. With Barbashev and Dunn in the lineup, Chicago produced a 1-1-0-0 record and both skaters tallied a goal and an assist.

The assignment was Dunn’s first of the season with the Wolves while Barbashev returned to the team for the first time since Dec. 10. Prior to his December recall, Barbashev appeared in 18 Wolves games and collected eight points (4G, 4A).

Top Line

Ivan Barbashev

The 22-year-old joined the Chicago Wolves for the first time since Dec. 10 when he was returned on loan by the St. Louis Blues. During his second stint with the Wolves, the Moscow native averaged a point per game with a goal and an assist in two contests. The Blues recalled Barbashev from loan on Monday.

Vince Dunn

The 21-year-old blueliner joined the Chicago Wolves for the first time this season when the St. Louis Blue loaned him to the club on Jan. 10. Donning No. 7, Dunn skated in two games with the Wolves and earned his AHL goal of the season in his first game on Jan. 12. The Ontario native also earned an assist on Jan. 13 against the Ontario Reign to have a point-per- game average during his short stint with Chicago. Dunn was recalled from loan on Monday.

Tomas Hyka

The Czech Republic native continued to be red-hot for the Chicago Wolves over the weekend. In three games, Hyka tallied a goal and four assists for five points. Since Jan. 1, he has registered two goals and seven assists for nine points in seven games. His recent success also earned him a spot on the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic roster, which the league announced on Thursday.

Steffan Matteau

The Chicago native continued to tear up the competition on the road as he netted two more goals during the three-game West Coast swing. Matteau has tallied five of his six goals this season the road. The first three came north of the border in November against the Manitoba Moose. Matteau also collected 10 shots on goal and logged four penalty minutes in three games last week.